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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, January 23, 2010

New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gateshead Old Town Hall

Tom Cook (cor), Caroline Irwin (cor/vcl but no uke), Don Fairley (tmb), Ed Cross (vln), Jim McBriarty (alt/clt/vcl), Alan Marshall (alt/clt), Gavin Lee (ten/clt), Steve Andrews (ten/clt/raconteur), Neville Hartley (pno), Keith Stephen (bjo/gtr), Phil Rutherford (sousa). Special guests: Nick Ward (dms), Keith Nichols (pno/vcl).
There was a time when it seemed Stan Tracey played every other gig in the North East. Now that mantle seems to have fallen on the shoulders, or rather the fingers, of Keith Nichols but don't worry Tracey-ites the GOM of British Jazz will be in Gateshead for the Sage Festival in March.
And, just as Stan has assimilated the music of Monk, so Keith has taken aboard the legacy of Fats Waller, James P and other stride men. Tonight he demonstrated that facility to a packed Town Hall. This makes yet another well supported gig - pinch me! Tell me I'm not dreaming!
However, this wasn't just about Keith or his Castle Bromwich based drummer Nick Ward but that most unique ensemble the New Century Ragtime Orchestra.
It was a brilliant concert which, coming from someone whose tastes lie further up the musical road, may be considered praise indeed.
Like the bands of old, with the NCRO, entertainment runs alongside the musical aspect and the NCRO score on both counts. Jim McBriarty singing "The Sheik of Araby" dressed as a Sheik of Araby, Steve Andrews' humourous compering - as well as his superb tenor feature on "Stars Fell on Alabama" accompanied by Nichols and rhythm section - Keith Stephen's banjo solo on "Lollipops" (yes me confessing to liking a banjo solo!). Jim had another gem in "Washing Dishes With My Sweetie" which contains the immortal line: "We do things we didn't oughta, holding hands under the water" - they sure don't write 'em like that anymore! The list of goodies is endless although, at the top, has to be the bands enthusiasm and the accuracy with which they read the parts successfully re-creating the sound of that era of crystal ball chandeliers, bootleg gin and Blackbottoms.
Then there is Caroline.
The young flapper was in fine voice and looked good on "Am I Blue" - love that tune - "I Think You'll Like It", "Only You" and "You'd Be Surprised" complete with come hither glances emphasising the mildly risqué lyric.
No ukulele tonight!
If you've got a big garage and you want to hold a massacre on St. Valentine's Day...
I drove my flivver home on a cloud.
Lance.

2 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

It was really good to see the Old Town Hall packed-out. Keith Nichols' 'Shreveport Stomp' was one of many highlights.

Russell

Lance said...

One of many indeed - 30 to be mathematically precise.

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